Drag-bucket.



W. G. WEEKS.

DRAG BUCKET.

APPLICATION 1111111) NOV. 28, 1910.

1,016,860. Pat nted 11611111912.

-2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses: Inventor W I Killian] CJ V ek-sf.

COLUMBIA I'LANOGIIAPM (0., WASHINGTON. n. c.

W. 0. WEEKS.

DRAG BUCKET.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 28, 1910.

1,016,860, Patented Feb. 6, 1912..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor CU/ am CC Weld.

WILLIAM 0. WEEKS, 0F VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

DRAG-BUCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Application filed November 28, 1910. Serial No. 594,588.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. WEEKS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drag-Buckets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in drag buckets, or that type of excavating and transporting buckets which are intended to dig and fill with earth by being dragged over the surface.

The object of my invent-ion is to produce a bucket which has advantages in handling and operating over those before in use, particularly in relation to the transporting of the material after it has been loaded, and also in the discharging when the bucket has reached the desired point.

My invention comprises the novel parts and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings I have shown my inven tion in the form which is now preferred by me.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bucket having my improvements thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same bucket. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a bucket differing from those shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in some of the details of the manner of construction, the bucket being shown in the discharging position. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the same bucket. Fig. 5 shows in plan a bucket having a continuous front cutting edge.

This bucket is an improvement upon the bucket shown in Patent No. 887,990 issued to me May 19, 1908, the invention relating chiefly to features used in transporting and dumping the load. Like the bucket shown in said patent it is provided with a bail, 1, to which the draft rope is attached, a yoke 2 in which are mounted pulleys 20 and 21 about which passes the rope 3 by which the angular posit-ion of the bucket may be controlled, and a pulley 10, mounted upon the draft bail 1 and receiving the chain or rope 3. My invention is also an improvement upon Patent No. 921,928 issued to me May 18, 1909. While the latter patent differs from the former patent in some details, the improvements herein claimed may be applied to the device shown in the latter patent.

My present invention difi'ers most markedly from the devices of the patents named in having the top of the bucket closed, and in being provided with means whereby the contents may be discharged from the rear or lower end.

The body 5 of the bucket may be of any suitable construction and shape. It is provided with a cover 50, so that, when desired, it may be transported in a vertical position without discharging its contents. The rear end of the bucket is closed by a door 6, which is hinged at its upper edge to the upper edge of the bucket, as at 60, so that it may swing outward in opening. Preferably, the rear end of the bucket is made upon a bevel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the incline being in such direction that the free or swinging edge of the door is farthest from the open end of the bucket. This position better secures closing and latching of the door when the bucket is being filled. This feature is not, however, essential. I prefer that the door be at least as large as the cross-sectional area of the bucket, to insure discharge of anything which can enter the filling end.

The swinging door is provided with a latch device automatically locked when the door closes and releasable by the pulling of a rope. The device as shown consists of a latch bar 7, a keeper 70, and a trigger 8, to

which is attached a controlling rope 80. The latch bar 7 slides in a guide 7 2 and has an upturned finger 71 engageable by the forked yoke at the pivot end of the trigger 8 to raise it out of the keeper 70 when the rope is pulled. The outer end of the keeper 7 O is inclined, so that when the door swings closed the end of the latch bar 7 will be raised thereby until it drops into the opening in the keeper.

To the rear end of the bucket is attached a rope or chain 40 which connects with the haul-back rope 4. The latter is connected with a rope or chain 3 which passes about the pulleys 20, 21 and 10 carried respec tively by the bail and yoke. When it is desired that the bucket dig or be filled. tension is kept upon the haul-back rope sufficient to cause the bucket to be tipped into an inclined position with its forward end lowermost. This position causes the weight of the bucket to force its cutting edge into the material and the weight of the door to press it into place and to latch it. When tension is released from the haul-back rope 4:, the

bucket will drop to the horizontal position. Whenever desired or necessary, after load-' ing, the bucket may be suspended by the bail 1 and the hauling rope, without discharging the contents. To discharge, the rope 80 attached to the trigger 8 is pulled which releases the door. The closing and locking of the door is automatic and is due to the weight of the door and the manner in which it is hung. If pivoted to the lower side of the bucket it would not close by gravity, nor could it be automatically locked. The closing of the door and its locking is further insured by the fact that this bucket when in its digging or filling position is inclined, with its rear or discharging end raised.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a drag bucket having a closed top, a draft bail, a draft rope attached to said bail, a back-haul rope attached to the rear end of the bucket, a gate hinged to the upper edge of the bucket at the rear, a manually releasable catch for said gate adapted to lock when the gate is closed, and means connecting said back-haul rope with the draft bail to swing the latter upward and backward.

2. The combination with a drag bucket having a closed top, a gate hinged to the upper rear edge of the bucket to swing outward and adapted to close the rear open end of the bucket, a manually releasable catch automatically engaged to lock the door when it is closed, a draft bail, a draft rope connected with the bail, a back-haul rope, and means connecting the baclchaul rope and the bail whereby the latter may be swung and held upwardly and rearwardly to there-,

by tilt the bucket with its rear end in elevated position.

3. The combination with a drag bucket having a closed top, a gate pivoted to the upper rear edge of the bucket to swing outward and adapted to close the rear open end of the bucket, a manually releasable catch forsaid gate automatically locked when the gate closes, of an upwardly extending arm carried by the forward end of the bucket, a draft bail, a draft rope connected with said bail, a back-haul rope connected with the rear end of the bucket,'and connect-ions between said arm and the bail controlled by the back-haul rope whereby the bucket may be tilted into digging position with its forward end downward.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aifixed my signature at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, this 19th day of November, 1910.

WVILLIAM C. l/VEEKS. Witnesses:

A. E. GALPIN, F. L. AP JOHN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

